Chapter 212: Winter Solstice Offerings (1)

Sorry about the long wait, guys! I was planning on posting this bunch on the 10th, but time gets the best of us all, haha. Thanks for waiting!

Lian Fang Zhou sneered slightly and said: “Do you remember Wang San, who was resold by us a few days ago? Young Lady Zhao bought him and changed his name to Zhao San. He drove the carriage for Xi Que!”

“So that’s the case!” Ah Jian realized, thinking about it. Then he said: “In this way, Young Lady Zhao’s family might be watching!”

Even if she was paying attention to them, she still didn’t know much about the cotton seeds. Maybe she felt that there was something important but was not very clear, so her attention was limited.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled: “Presumably, she is curious. Let’s be careful to guard against sabotage! As for other things, we don’t have to be too on guard against the enemy.”

If they did not seem too protective and cautious, then the other person’s interest would only be mild, which was the best protection.

What they needed to guard against was whether Zhao San would try anything crooked.

In the evening, Lian Fang Zhou, Ah Jian, and Lian Ze went to the warehouse again, bringing some pork and other dishes. She informed the workers that she had ordered new clothes and footwear, which would arrive in three or four days. Each person would receive two inner and outer sets.

Excited, they thanked her happily.

Early the next morning, Lian Fang Zhou and her siblings got up and washed before silently preparing to worship their parents.

The took down their memorial tablets and cleaned them and then cleaned the table, incense burner, and candlesticks.

Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che sat in the room, carefully folding paper money.

In the kitchen, Third Aunt killed a few chickens. They had cooked the fish and other meat the night before and it only needed to be reheated.

The atmosphere was solemn and sad.

Looking at the four siblings, working in silence, Third Aunt sighed twice. Ah Jian didn’t know what to say, so he took the cattle to the river to drink.

“Cousin Fang Zhou! Ah Ze!” A figure in a light blue and dark blue ice patterned robe came into view. Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze, who had been wiping the table, turned and looked up to see Lian Hai come in with a gentle expression.

Lian Hai gave the pair a soft look, his expression gloomy, and said: “Is there anything I can help with?”

It turned out he had come specifically for the worship of their parents.

Lian Fang Zhou and Lian Ze felt a touch of warmth and gratitude in their eyes.

In any case, Lian Hai gave them a different feeling from Lian Li and Madam Qiao.

The impression the two siblings had formed of him was suddenly much better. Though there was still not enough evidence to show if he was treacherous or good, Lian Fang Zhou was willing to trust him. However, she still had two or three points of vigilance in her heart.

“Cousin!” The two greeted him. Lian Fang Zhou sighed with gratitude: “No, Cousin, we can do it ourselves. This is what we should do as children.”

Lian Ze nodded with a hum.

“Alright!” Lian Hai agreed, nodding softly: “This is your filial piety to Second Uncle and Second Aunt. I won’t intervene! I will give Second Uncle and Second Aunt a few bows later and put up a few sticks of incense.”

Lian Ze immediately felt touched and said: “Thank you, Cousin!”

In his eyes, his cousin was a big man who would become an official in the imperial examination. He was really touched that he was willing to do this for his parents. And, in comparison to Lian Li and Madam Qiao, Lian Hai’s words and actions were even more moving.

“This is how it should be, its silly to say it!” Lian Hai waved his hand and smiled: “Go ahead, you do you work, I won’t delay you! I will sit inside and wait for you to finish; you can come with me when you are done. Let’s kowtow to our ancestors and put out incense for them to pay respect! By the way, my father and mother will be by later.”

As he said this last part, his tone became hesitant.

They had forgotten the ancestors!

Lian Fang Zhou almost cried out, feeling ashamed.

She had forgotten and Lian Fang Qin and Lian Che were too young to understand. Lian Ze had remembered, but he had thought that since the ancestor shrine was at their uncle’s house, Lian Li would not allow them to come worship.

Going to worship, although the siblings would be in the right, unreasonable people like aunt and uncle would have to fight before they would compromise. Lian Ze had not wanted to quarrel on a day like this.

How could he not be happy when his cousin brought this up?

Lian Ze’s heart was warm and he was very grateful. He nodded his head and thanked Lian Hai.

Lian Fang Zhou also smiled and thanked him.

As for whether Lian Li and Madam Qiao would come pay respects to their parents, neither sibling took it seriously.

Come if you like, forget it if you don’t!

“This is how it should be, I feel sorry hearing you say this!” Lian Hai smiled and went out.

“Sister, let’s hurry!” Lian Ze was afraid that he would delay going to worship the ancestors and couldn’t help but speed up his actions.

Lian Fang Zhou agreed, smiling, her hands also moving faster.

After a while, the siblings had finished cleaning the shire and walked out.

Lian Hai, Lian Fang Qing, and Lian Che were folding paper while talking and laughing. When they saw the other two, they said: “The paper is almost folded, let’s go soon!”

Lian Fang Zhou agreed and went to wash their hands, pouring out the dirty water in the basin. When they finished, Lian Hai was already waiting with the little brother and sister. Together, they headed to the main house.

Lian Fang Zhou had packed a whole cooked chicken, a whole fish, and some diced meat into two bamboo baskets to take with them. She also brought some paper candles, incense, and firecrackers.

While worshiping the ancestors, she did not at the mercy of the first branch.

Lian Hai saw this but didn’t say anything. He smiled lightly and said, “Let’s go!” and took one of the baskets with meat and fish to carry.

After saying goodbye to Third Aunt, everyone followed Lian Hai.

Third Aunt was a married daughter, it was inappropriate for her to participate in this kind of grand ancestor worship ceremony with her maiden family.

Looking around the empty room, Third Aunt sighed and softly felt numb. She couldn’t help but lift her sleeve and wipe her wet eyes.

The siblings were very good to her. Lian Fang Zhou was very generous and had helped her save four or five taels. After another two or three years, if wouldn’t be a problem for Lian Fang Zhou to help her buy four or five acres of paddy fields. In the future, she would still be able to eat a bowl of rice.

However, this was it!

There was no husband and no children.

She couldn’t help but glance at the small wing room where Lian Fang Zhou’s father and mother’s tablets were placed, her heart even more sad. In the future, after she died, there would be no descendants to offer incense!

She had stopped counting on those people from her husband’s family a long time ago.

TN: Poor Third Aunt! I hope she adopts an orphan or something to take care of her in her old age. I don’t think the Lian siblings would mind another cousin!